Victory in the News

Barney Frank to Retire

With few regrets and a few more parting quips, Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts announced Monday that he will retire at the end of the current congressional term. 

Congressman Frank, the longest-serving openly gay member of Congress and one of four openly gay congressional members currently in office, told reporters at a news conference in Newton, Mass., that his decision not to run for reelection in 2012 was driven in part by the realities of redistricting as well as his desire to pursue writing and teaching. His announcement was met with an outpouring of gratitude by LGBT organizations who praised his gay rights legislative work and his influence on a new generation of LGBT political leaders. 

Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, said, "Barney Frank's political career may be coming to an end, but his legacy will outlive us all. His decision to come out as gay more than two decades ago gave LGBT Americans an authentic voice and a persistent champion in Washington. He has used that voice loudly and often, speaking personally, humorously and effectively about the hopes and challenges of Americans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We will miss that voice very much." 

Colorado state House Dems pick gay man to lead

DENVER — Openly gay Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver) is the newly elected Democratic leader in the Colorado State House, after Rep. Sal Pace stepped down to focus on a U.S. Congressional run, according to the Associated Press.

As the Victory Fund's Gay Politics Blog notes, if the chamber returns to Democratic control in 2012, Ferrandino will become the state's first openly-gay majority leader. In 2007 the Massachusetts Republican party chose gay Sen. Richard Tisei (R-Middlesex & Essex) to lead the minority party in that state's upper house. Tisei was not officially on record as being gay, however, until November 2009, though upon coming out, Tisei claims to have never been in the closet.